I NEED HELP PLEEASE.. EXTERNAL DATA RECOVERY!!!

RynoZ

Born

Posts: 4

3+ Months Ago

Hi. I'm new here and saw some posts that lead me to believe this may be the place I will finally receive answers to this problem. I apologize for the bold text in title (moderators), but i'm in dire need -- it's an external hard drive data issue.

Information:A. I own a brand new Mac Pro - OSX, a Dell Laptop - XP Windows (NTFS Format), and a Playstation 3 Entertainment System - PS3 (no further OS - format unknown). B. I own a 1 TB Western Digital External Hard Drive, just bought about 5 months ago. It worked fine between my Laptop and PS3 for some time until one day (and till this day) only my PS3 can read it.C. I didn't want to reformat the my external because I have important files that aren't media based - thus being that the PS3 only reads basic media based files (video, pics, audio). D. Although my PS3 recognizes all of the folders within my external, I cannot compress them to be sent elsewhere so that I may reformat... and the web servers available to my PS3 only read media files to be transferred among my computers. E. My external isn't damaged, no buzzing or humming sounds, it works fine and lights up as it should. I just cannot access it by conventional means. I have a warranty!F. My Warranty with Western Digital does not cover this issue, I tried. They offered to replace the External if it is damaged, but it's not. They even said the cause may be corrupted files. This may be true cause I manually deleted a couple of them through my PS3.

My Attempts:1. When I plug my external into my Laptop I get 'G:/ drive', regardless of what USB slot I put it in. When I plug it into my Mac I get nothing.2. I considered opening the external's casing to access the confirmed SATA drive connection, but I am inexperienced with this kind of procedure and not sure to risk it.3. I downloaded a Data Recovery software program called "Data Recovery Wizard Professional v3.3.4" which I have yet to use because I understand I must first format my external in order for it to recover my deleted files. True testimonials say it works, but TOO RISKY!!!4. Have yet to find a network server that can connect to my PS3 & Computers and handle more than just media files.5. I considered websites and email providers that offer file storage, but the PS3 cannot compress folders and I cannot access the type of files I need transferred from the external connected to the PS3.6. Even though I just bought a Mac Pro for my business, I am sad to say i'm back to square one with troubleshooting the formatting problem. 7. I even considered calling around with this sensitive issue to Computer Stores and Hardware Repair Shops to restore my data. Either it's too expensive or they won't try it!

MY PLEA:Please no responses about the dumping my data elsewhere to commence reformatting because no other computer can access my external. That answer shows no one is listening!Please no, "You're sh*t out of luck", answers too, cause I know there's a way. Lol, I just haven't figured it out yet!May it be that I can match the formatting on my computers the same as the PS3?Please HELP ME =(

Don2007

Web Master

Posts: 4923

Loc: NY

3+ Months Ago

Posted by Abhay on some other forum:

Here are some drive recovery tricks that have worked for me, in the order that I do them. Try booting thedrive and copying the data off after every step.1. Hold the drive upside down, making gravity change the head geometry ever so slightly. Vertical is alsoanother option.2. Slightly rap the drive with your knuckle, (but nowhere near hard enough to damage the drive).3. Try the drive in another machine, (slight drive voltage change assumed to be the miracle worker here).4. Rap the drive just SLIGHTLY harder than you did above in 2.5. Freeze the hard drive in the freezer for two hours, and place in a plastic zip lock bag to preventcondensation from forming on the drive when you plug it back into the system, (head geometry, electricalresistance lowered, electrical contact points adjusted, etc., assumed to be the miracle here).6. After the drive warms up to room temperature or better, rap it even harder with your knuckle this time.7. Repeat all of above steps on next day, as sometimes I've gotten data off drive simply by trying again.

RynoZ

Born

Posts: 4

3+ Months Ago

lol... if only the old school tactics worked now-a-days.

RynoZ

Born

Posts: 4

3+ Months Ago

My Dell Laptop recognizes that the external is there, but no matter where I plug in the USB (the different ports) it still shows up in the G: drive.

It wasn't until later on yesterday that I figured this out: I had issues with my MS-DOS on my Laptop for some time - I can't access it or operate it manually. Given that the format of my external is MS-DOS (FAT32), i'm thinking that there's an issue with DOS communicating with my external. My external still works on the PS3, and many find that weird. But maybe it's not so weird simply because the external isn't damaged, just my DOS on the laptop.

The only thing I don't understand is when my Laptop asks me to format the external (which I don't want to do), it offers to do so only as NTFS. The external is not damaged, and it works fine, and I don't want to lose my data. I'm beginning to think that its just not being accessible on my Laptop.

Could it be that the issue isn't with the external at all but with the DOS on my DELL laptop? Everyone's telling me to do these Data Restoration procedures that can take days of scanning since I have a 1TB external. What do you think the issue may be and what can I do?

Don2007

Web Master

Posts: 4923

Loc: NY

3+ Months Ago

I don't know if those are "old school tactics" & why you wouldn't give them a chance. There is nothing to lose.

The only other suggestion I have is to connect the drive to a box running Unix or Linux. Mount it & try to transfer the data using the cp command.

As you said, I've heard of people disassembling the drives & mounting the plates but that cost a lot of money & it's beyond my scope.

RynoZ

Born

Posts: 4

3+ Months Ago

thanks Don2007. I will try and find a linux machine... to be honest I might even get a Linux OS cause that's all I hear about now a days